Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / 1 Samuel 23 (Part 1) Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Transcript

1 Samuel 23 (Part 1) Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

• 0:11
  It is always a blessing to open God's word with you Mimi.
• 0:15
  And first Samuel chapter 23, please.
• 0:25
  And as we arrived there together, we're going to pray
• 0:27
  one more time. Lord, we thank you for this
• 0:39
  Friday night. You give us.
• 0:46
  You give us this day. You give us this evening and we
• 0:50
  want to worship you in it and we asked, oh, God.
• 0:53
  That as we discover your will your mind your heart, your
• 0:58
  character, your purposes. What you've done in the past as
• 1:01
  a reflection of who you are today, that Lord we would feel
• 1:06
  our hearts being wooed towards Christ.
• 1:09
  Lord, we long that the result of this Bible study, with the draws
• 1:13
  closer and our relationship with you.
• 1:17
  And Lord. If there's any sin, if there's
• 1:19
  any lukewarmness, if there's any familiarity that breeds
• 1:21
  contempt, Lord May the hammer of your word break any callousness.
• 1:26
  May the fire of your word burn up all dross.
• 1:30
  We really want this to affect our lives.
• 1:33
  And so we hunger for righteousness, we long for truth
• 1:36
  Open. The Eyes of our hearts that we
• 1:38
  may behold. You And so Lord in this moment.
• 1:41
  Would you deal with every distraction?
• 1:44
  And would you give us the strength to receive your word in
• 1:48
  Jesus name? We pray.
• 1:50
  Amen. And amen.
• 1:52
  Let's read together from verse one, shall we?
• 1:55
  Now they told David behold, the Philistines are fighting against
• 2:01
  Kela and are robbing the threshing floors there for
• 2:05
  David. Inquired of the Lord, shall I go
• 2:09
  and attack these Philistines and the Lord said to David go and
• 2:13
  attack the Philistines and Save kiala But David's men said to
• 2:19
  him, behold, we are afraid here in Judah.
• 2:21
  How much more than if we go to kill against the armies of the
• 2:24
  Philistines? Then David inquired of the Lord
• 2:28
  again and the Lord answered him, arise go down to Kayla.
• 2:32
  For I will give the Philistines into your hand and David and his
• 2:37
  men went to kalon fought with the Philistines and brought away
• 2:40
  their livestock and struck them with a great blow.
• 2:45
  So David saved, the inhabitants of Kayla.
• 2:49
  Now, the last time we've heard of David's whereabouts was when
• 2:53
  he was in the forest of her f. And he was instructed to go
• 2:59
  there from the prophet Gad God told him.
• 3:02
  Once he was hiding in the cave of a dilemma, and in the land of
• 3:05
  Moab, the prophet was sent to David.
• 3:08
  And those 400 band of men that came to him and says, you need
• 3:11
  to leave and you need to go into the land of Judah, not to the
• 3:16
  Natural mind, that that seemed like suicide because David was
• 3:22
  making himself so much more vulnerable to saw spies and even
• 3:26
  Saul's. Max.
• 3:29
  And we can even see the fear in these men being in Judah and
• 3:32
  what we read in verse 3, look what they said, David's Men, set
• 3:36
  them. Behold, we are afraid here in
• 3:38
  Judah. So to the human mind, it didn't
• 3:42
  make sense for them to leave where they were more secure to a
• 3:46
  place where they are more suspect and more available to
• 3:51
  Saul's reach. But as we studied throughout
• 3:55
  these past couple weeks, we realize especially in last week,
• 3:59
  that when God instructed David to go to Judah though, he didn't
• 4:03
  give them a reason we realized by the holy spirit's commentary
• 4:08
  the motive behind the command. That was what I saw discovered
• 4:13
  where David was and he was about to close in, he was about to
• 4:16
  come and find him. So, for the sake of David's
• 4:19
  protection, he gave this command for the sake of his well-being,
• 4:23
  for the sake of his preservation.
• 4:25
  God though, he did not disclose the purpose, gave him an
• 4:29
  instruction and David had to obey by faith, which is very
• 4:32
  much how we respond to many of God's commands.
• 4:35
  We may not see how obeying him in.
• 4:36
  The moment will bring about the best result, but we got to trust
• 4:39
  God's. Wisdom.
• 4:41
  But if we believe that God's wisdom ends there, it's in these
• 4:45
  first few verses that we realize even more reasons, why God
• 4:49
  called David to go into the land of Judah.
• 4:54
  And what is it? Well, look verse 1.
• 4:56
  Again now, they told David behold, the Philistines are
• 4:59
  fighting against Kayla and are robbing the threshing floors.
• 5:03
  Now, this city according to Joshua, 15 is listed among many
• 5:08
  other cities. It is actually found in the
• 5:11
  Ettore of Judah. And what's so, fascinating here
• 5:15
  is that these citizens heard about David being in the
• 5:18
  neighborhood being in close proximity somehow, and these
• 5:21
  unnamed Messengers call for David's assistance, because the
• 5:25
  Philistines are now coming to attack and they need David to
• 5:29
  defend and to deliver them. And when I read this, I realized
• 5:33
  something about God. Then when he often asks us to do
• 5:38
  something when we obey him and we walk and follow Christ, he
• 5:42
  has manifold purposes behind his commands and there are manifold
• 5:48
  rewards behind obedience, see when David first went, we
• 5:53
  learned that Saul knew where he was.
• 5:55
  So God protected him by calling him out of his stronghold into
• 6:01
  the land of Judah. But now we read here that David
• 6:04
  was not just being protective, but God had a purpose.
• 6:08
  There was a mission that David needed to fulfill and he could
• 6:12
  not fulfill it unless he was in Judah.
• 6:15
  In other words, if he had stayed in the cave, if you had stayed
• 6:19
  and a long distance, he would not be able to be reached.
• 6:24
  He would not be able to be called upon.
• 6:26
  He would not be able to get to Kayla and time.
• 6:29
  And so do you see God's Providence?
• 6:31
  He moves David. He calls David without telling
• 6:33
  him every single reason and he says Says, you need to leave.
• 6:38
  And we find out last week because he was protecting him
• 6:41
  and we find out this week because there's a mission for
• 6:44
  David to fulfill Now, this isn't going to mean much to you, if
• 6:50
  your life isn't governed by Christ.
• 6:52
  If Jesus is your genie, you'll fall asleep in this portion of
• 6:55
  the Bible study, But if Christ is your lord, then be comforted
• 7:01
  by what's being said here, here's what God is teaching us
• 7:05
  that in his Direction, even in the unknown, especially in the
• 7:09
  unknown. One thing that you can plant
• 7:11
  your feet on one thing that you can be totally secure in is this
• 7:15
  that God always always postures us to either prepare us for his
• 7:21
  use or to position us for his use.
• 7:25
  I hope that encourages you and every single season, God has
• 7:30
  determined a purpose for your life and in every chapter
• 7:33
  whether it's dark or clear, whether the heavens are opened
• 7:36
  or feels like the heavens are brass when God Maneuvers us in
• 7:40
  orchestrates. Our lives in every circumstance,
• 7:44
  it's because he is either posturing us to be prepared or
• 7:49
  he's preparing us for a purpose to fulfill.
• 7:51
  He's positioning us to do something for his Laurie every
• 7:56
  single season. And that's what's happening with
• 7:58
  David. God performs this work.
• 8:01
  This instruction, he doesn't understand.
• 8:03
  And as like, David as you walked down the road of obedience, it
• 8:09
  is down the road where you realize his purposes as you look
• 8:12
  back in the moment, you don't know.
• 8:14
  And the moment, I don't know, in fact, in the moment it can be
• 8:17
  confusing. It can be even painful.
• 8:20
  But it's when you go through it with faith and you clutch onto
• 8:23
  Christ where you look back and say, I see why you moved me from
• 8:27
  here to the, I see why you remove this.
• 8:29
  I see why you gave Davis, I see why you open this.
• 8:32
  I see why you close this. But there's something else
• 8:36
  interesting about these men seeking for David.
• 8:39
  And I want to ask you what is interesting by the fact that
• 8:42
  these men sought David, when the Philistines attacked any idea
• 8:48
  Think back. There's another character in
• 8:55
  this story. David is being chased by who Oh,
• 9:01
  please answer somebody answer. So we're gonna have to go back
• 9:05
  to chapter 1. Saul.
• 9:09
  Yes. What was Saul's purpose as a
• 9:13
  king? Let me remind you in 9:6.
• 9:20
  I want you to see this in your Bibles for yourselves in chapter
• 9:23
  9, verse 6. We read about about saw being
• 9:27
  anointed by Samuel and Look What the Lord tells the prophet
• 9:30
  tomorrow. About this time, I will send to
• 9:33
  you a man from the land of Benjamin.
• 9:35
  And you shall anoint him to be Prince Over My People, Israel.
• 9:39
  He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines.
• 9:43
  That was his call. That was the very reason why he
• 9:46
  became king to deal with this. Particular enemy.
• 9:51
  And when it came to saws responsibility, being fulfilled
• 9:55
  as the ruler, guess who the people call upon knots?
• 10:00
  All they ask David. And here are two reasons.
• 10:06
  Why number one as David is continuing in this Exile, the
• 10:11
  eyes of the people are opening And they are realizing slowly,
• 10:16
  but surely the David was the true anointed leader of Israel.
• 10:22
  That he was the wrong one that actually cared for them as a
• 10:25
  Shepherd. Does the Sheep?
• 10:28
  In fact, when we get there in second, Samuel chapter five,
• 10:31
  once David's, officially going to be anointed and Hebron the
• 10:36
  people say, in chapter 5 while Saul was King, it was you who is
• 10:41
  really leading us. So the people during this time,
• 10:46
  put the two together they made, the contrast saw as the title
• 10:49
  but you have the fruit So has the throne but you have the
• 10:54
  heart. And so even now in chapter 23,
• 10:58
  the citizens of Carol, I realized David is really the one
• 11:01
  who helped us and the observation here is so prophetic
• 11:06
  that it is a wonderful thing. When people's eyes are open to
• 11:09
  realize that Christ, the son of David is there true salvation.
• 11:15
  He's the one that's really your Shield.
• 11:17
  He's the one that's really your Aid.
• 11:19
  He's the one that's really your Refuge.
• 11:21
  He's the one that's really your helper.
• 11:23
  He's the one that's really your wisdom.
• 11:26
  He's the one that's really your salvation.
• 11:29
  And when you realize that the systems of this world will fail
• 11:33
  you, and you realize that there's no war nowhere or no one
• 11:37
  else to turn to it is a pleasant thing.
• 11:40
  Indeed, and David is giving us that illustration prophetically,
• 11:45
  but secondly, realize this this is a sad commentary on the
• 11:50
  leadership of Saul. A very disappointing and
• 11:53
  discouraging commentary on this man's leadership and government.
• 11:58
  Because this man not only did not have the heart of his
• 12:02
  people. Not only did they not seek after
• 12:05
  him, he could care less about the citizens of Kayla.
• 12:09
  He could care less that the Philistines were coming to bring
• 12:13
  Siege around the city. Can I prove it to you?
• 12:16
  Come down to verse 8 of this chapter, And look here in verse
• 12:20
  8. And Saul summoned all the people
• 12:25
  to war, to go down, to Kayla, to besiege David.
• 12:30
  And his men. Can you believe this?
• 12:35
  So when it comes to the Philistines to surround Kayla,
• 12:39
  Saul is is hanging back, but the moment he hears that David and
• 12:44
  his band of men are there then he summons his men to go to war.
• 12:49
  This is this is disturbing isn't incredibly disturbing.
• 12:54
  When it came to you, fulfilling your call, you gave no thought
• 12:58
  no energy, no Focus. But when it came to you,
• 13:00
  satisfying your jealousy, in your Envy in your hatred, you
• 13:03
  called the nation to go to war. We look at this and we might be
• 13:07
  disgusted but I will shock you tonight that this attitude is
• 13:10
  not foreign within the body of Christ.
• 13:13
  It's not, you know, James says, something very interesting to
• 13:17
  Christians in chapter 4 and you don't have to turn there but he
• 13:21
  asked them. What causes fights and quarrels
• 13:26
  among you and he says, is it not that your passions are at War
• 13:31
  within you? So Christians are capable of
• 13:39
  fighting each other. of Warring against one another because they
• 13:43
  have they have been dominated by The sins of their hearts.
• 13:52
  And like, saw listen when your Void of spirituality when you're
• 13:57
  out of touch with the Holy Spirit.
• 14:01
  If you're not filled with him, you're going to be filled with
• 14:03
  something else. And if you're outside of Christ
• 14:07
  completely, you can be morally, clean your house can be all
• 14:11
  clean, but you can still have demons over.
• 14:14
  If you're in Christ, you can grieve the Holy Spirit.
• 14:16
  You can so quiet him and be ruled by the Flesh.
• 14:20
  And here's the problem. When you even have just a
• 14:22
  handful not even a handful of you just have one or two people
• 14:26
  within a community of the faithful Believers that have the
• 14:30
  passions of the flesh at War within them, you have Sol's.
• 14:35
  And what do Sol's do? They don't put their energy and
• 14:39
  their focus on the Real Enemy. They fight those within their
• 14:43
  own camp. And they get so caught up
• 14:46
  because they're so possessed with the sins of the spirit.
• 14:52
  And with selfish ambition, that they begin to eat their own they
• 14:57
  cause casualties from within all the while there is an enemy that
• 15:02
  wants to destroy you outside, they could care less because
• 15:04
  they're not Kingdom Minded. Saul wasn't concerned about
• 15:08
  God's glory. Are you kidding me?
• 15:11
  So I wasn't concerned about the advancement of God's purpose.
• 15:13
  It's all wasn't concerned about the people worshipping.
• 15:15
  God saw was concern about himself even though he was
• 15:17
  within the kingdom. And because of this, he's going
• 15:21
  to war with his own, he's willing to fight someone on his
• 15:25
  team. Listen selfish ambition, it can
• 15:32
  be anything, it can be for a position.
• 15:36
  It can be for recognition, it can be for anything, it can be
• 15:40
  about friendships. It can be about name it if it's
• 15:45
  selfish. If it's not centered on Christ's
• 15:47
  Glory it can be extremely destructive.
• 15:50
  So destructive can selfish ambition be that it not only
• 15:54
  diverts you from the call that God has placed on your life.
• 15:58
  The Obedience, and the giftedness that he has put in
• 16:00
  you to bring exaltation to his name but it even has the ability
• 16:06
  To hinder those who actually want to serve God.
• 16:11
  Does that make sense? Because David here is not only
• 16:15
  having to worry about the Philistines David your has to
• 16:18
  worry about Saul, David your has to worry about somebody within
• 16:23
  his own Camp that's going to shoot him.
• 16:25
  That's willing to take him down. And so now he has to not only
• 16:30
  worried about the true enemy of God and the true enemies to the
• 16:33
  gospel. He is not worried about people
• 16:35
  that are insecure and selfish and they caused issues and you
• 16:39
  see the issue here, you see the issue here.
• 16:44
  And I pray that this illustration.
• 16:46
  This is why we come to the Old Testament because they take the
• 16:49
  principles of God, and they put him in Story, the real stories
• 16:53
  so that these things can be remembered made.
• 16:55
  This illustration, be seared in your memory for the rest of your
• 16:58
  life. We should not be wasting time
• 17:03
  wrestling with each other. We should not be wasting time
• 17:06
  fighting against one another. We should not be wasting time
• 17:10
  about there are souls. Damned for hell.
• 17:15
  And you're bothered because somebody didn't say hi to you on
• 17:18
  a Sunday. And you're bothered because
• 17:23
  somebody may have looked at you in a certain way, it is, this is
• 17:26
  this a soldier mindset know, it's kindergarten mindset and
• 17:31
  the church has not been established to change people's
• 17:34
  diapers. The church has been established
• 17:39
  to raise up soldiers that are so dead to self.
• 17:45
  And what it's going to require in order for us to avoid
• 17:48
  internal strife is just that a crucifying of the self on a
• 17:52
  daily basis. And from there, when there's
• 17:54
  confusion, when there's miscommunication, you're quick
• 17:57
  to communicate and when there's harm done and somebody asked for
• 18:03
  forgiveness and repent, your quick to forgive and you're so
• 18:08
  committed and you're so pledged to a certain service for the
• 18:12
  kingdom of God, that when other people who don't care about the
• 18:16
  advancement of God's glory and his message in his gospel, try
• 18:19
  to pull you into childish ways, you have no energy to give them
• 18:23
  because you're so spent for God, So Saul here is not only causing
• 18:29
  issues for himself, he's causing issues for David who actually
• 18:33
  wants to serve God. It's a sad sight indeed.
• 18:37
  But eventually God will intervene those who cause
• 18:42
  trouble in the church. I can tell you many things about
• 18:44
  them. And one of the things about them
• 18:45
  is that they have no concept. Or no concern about the name of
• 18:52
  Jesus Christ. And so their Idol idol mean
• 18:57
  there. They don't do anything.
• 19:00
  And not only are they Idol, but they're filled with idolatry.
• 19:04
  And as Paul told Timothy in chapter 5 of his first epistle
• 19:07
  to him, he's speaking about young woman who are widows and
• 19:12
  he says their Idol. And they go from house to house
• 19:16
  gossiping and being busy bodies. Meaning you're getting into
• 19:19
  people's Affairs, that you shouldn't be And they are giving
• 19:25
  opportunity for the devil. And so we see here, that's all
• 19:32
  is a perfect illustration of that.
• 19:35
  And one of the greatest things that can happen to the health of
• 19:38
  a Ministry is not when the leadership only.
• 19:40
  But when every single person who's a member is focused, Is
• 19:45
  focused on the mission because when things come in your way,
• 19:49
  and it would interfere with that mission or hinder that mission,
• 19:53
  your heart is so caught up in what God's called you to do
• 19:56
  that. You're willing to deal with
• 19:57
  those issues in order to remove any hurdles or any obstacles to
• 20:01
  what God has called you to do. Does that make sense?
• 20:04
  When people when people are not filled at the spirit and not
• 20:08
  excited about what God has called you to do on this Earth,
• 20:11
  the next best thing is drama. Next best thing is, she said, he
• 20:17
  said let and they just get caught up in that and then they
• 20:20
  causes things to happen and saw is proving that here it all
• 20:23
  started from a place of insecurity, it all started from
• 20:26
  a place of not being a true worshipper.
• 20:28
  And when the enemy is coming in, Saw could care less.
• 20:31
  He wants to deal with David, because David was the real
• 20:33
  threat to him because David was a threat His pride.
• 20:41
  So, what happens? We see here in verse 2, David
• 20:45
  inquired of the Lord. When he heard about this,
• 20:48
  invitation David stops and he seeks.
• 20:52
  God. And this is the David that we
• 20:54
  know, right? Is another David that we saw in
• 20:57
  chapter 21 that just moved off of impulses and fear of, this is
• 21:00
  the David that we love is the David that we are familiar with,
• 21:04
  he stops and he inquires of the Lord.
• 21:07
  And I love that. I'm encouraged by that,
• 21:10
  especially in this instance. You know why?
• 21:12
  Because David has been given a great opportunity here I
• 21:15
  believe. Here's an opportunity for him to
• 21:18
  prove himself even more. He's dealt with Philistines
• 21:21
  before this. And this is a chance for him to
• 21:24
  win the hearts of more people to, to gain a greater following,
• 21:29
  to have people more convinced that this is truly God's
• 21:32
  anointed. Not that man Saul.
• 21:35
  But despite the opportunity, he still sees God's will on the
• 21:39
  matter and he still inquires of the Lord's Direction and timing
• 21:44
  and purpose. And it is a great site to God to
• 21:48
  see his people stop and pause and seek him even at the chance
• 21:53
  even at the open doors that some others wouldn't even give a
• 21:57
  second thought to before performing, anything he does not
• 22:00
  give premature action, he pauses and he seeks the Lord, that's
• 22:03
  his reflex. And he's learned from the past
• 22:06
  the mistakes when you move without stopping and seeking
• 22:10
  God's wisdom, seeking Godly counsel praying and asking the
• 22:13
  Lord as you sit at his feet. Does that.
• 22:17
  But I think also here that this is even just not just a
• 22:19
  possibility for a reward but possible risk.
• 22:23
  Here's the risk. You're already having problems
• 22:25
  of your own with Saul. You want to add more issues with
• 22:28
  the Philistines, you really want to bring in more Philistines in
• 22:31
  your life right now. And not only that aren't the
• 22:34
  Philistines saws responsibility, you want to, you want to step
• 22:38
  into that lane and add more fuel to the fire.
• 22:40
  Which Saul, You see what happened?
• 22:43
  When Jonathan try to try to do Sol's job.
• 22:46
  It got kind of crazy. You sure you want to add more
• 22:48
  fuel to this fire? But what I see here with David
• 22:52
  as he stops and he prays and he asked God, I see a man who is so
• 22:56
  selfless. He so loves God's people that
• 23:00
  he's willing to open the possibility of Greater danger to
• 23:04
  himself in order to bring Deliverance to his Brethren.
• 23:09
  If this is going to cost me more than Let It Be see, this is a
• 23:14
  guy with a Shepherd's Heart. No wonder God chose him.
• 23:18
  He truly cared. And guess what?
• 23:21
  He didn't have the title to be crowned with He's gonna do the
• 23:25
  kings job and he doesn't have the throne but he's still
• 23:29
  willing to do it. What a blessing, it is to
• 23:32
  witness a servant who doesn't need the spotlight?
• 23:37
  And what a blessing it is to see a servant who's willing to
• 23:41
  actually make a real sacrifice to obey.
• 23:44
  God, like a real sacrifice. Actually costing you something
• 23:47
  not to serve, but until it costs.
• 23:49
  You something you pull back, but let me serve.
• 23:51
  Even it does cost me something? What, what an encouragement that
• 23:54
  he is displaying here. Don't give me the spotlight, I
• 23:57
  don't need to be the one that's on the throne to deal with the
• 24:00
  Philistines. If I got to do the same thing
• 24:01
  for the sake of my brethren, let me do it.
• 24:03
  If it's going to ask for more danger and and jeopardize me, I
• 24:06
  will I do it because I love God's people.
• 24:10
  I want to serve my brethren. So he does he gets an answer.
• 24:15
  The Lord said to David go and attack going to tack the
• 24:18
  Philistines and safe kiella, but look, what happens in verse 3
• 24:22
  but David's Mensa and behold. We are afraid here in Judah.
• 24:25
  How much more than if we go to kiala against the armies of the
• 24:28
  Philistines? What happens?
• 24:31
  In verse 3, pay attention is what will happen.
• 24:35
  Many times when an opportunity to obey God's word, presents
• 24:39
  itself. Opposition arises.
• 24:44
  Opposition will often arise when an opportunity to obey, God
• 24:50
  presents itself. And the obvious opposition.
• 24:56
  Are the enemies outside of the fold outside of the Kingdom,
• 24:59
  that would try to threaten you or taunt.
• 25:02
  You, if you would dare make a move forward to glorify God, but
• 25:07
  there is also the opposition that is unintended and the
• 25:12
  opposition that is unintended can come from people that are
• 25:17
  really for you, and they really want to be loyal to the cause of
• 25:21
  God, but when it comes to particular instances, they cave
• 25:25
  under And because they can't handle what's happening here.
• 25:30
  Even though obedience is called for, they would discourage those
• 25:35
  who might put them at risk in that step of obedience.
• 25:40
  So what we learn from these men is an ingredient that is
• 25:43
  incredibly needed. If you want to know endurance
• 25:46
  and faithfulness to God and it is this courage courage.
• 25:52
  courage, courage is willing to act even if you have to face
• 25:57
  danger pain or intimidation, For righteous, cause that's what
• 26:03
  courage is. It's a willingness to be mocked.
• 26:07
  It's a, willingness to be misunderstood.
• 26:09
  It's a willingness to even be martyred because of a deep
• 26:11
  conviction. And if there is anything worth
• 26:14
  being courageous for it is the will and word of God.
• 26:18
  Courage. These men lacked it.
• 26:24
  And these men had a unanimous decision.
• 26:26
  David 400 against one David. We're not doing this.
• 26:31
  We're already in Judah. We're already terrified as it is
• 26:34
  and you want to now put us out there so it's all can see us.
• 26:37
  We're 400. You want to go against the
• 26:39
  armies of fill it. Are you serious?
• 26:44
  But David had a deep conviction and that conviction is what
• 26:48
  fuels courage. He was the conviction, God said
• 26:51
  it, God gave the green light, God determined it in his word.
• 26:56
  Why are we holding back? If it's cleared, the let's move
• 26:58
  forward. And I want to show you just how
• 27:04
  important courage is in the eyes of God.
• 27:07
  Here it is. It's in the New Testament.
• 27:09
  It's, in fact, all the way to the last book in Revelation 21,
• 27:13
  I want you to see how much courage means to God and chapter
• 27:17
  21. Verse 8.
• 27:24
  This is the group of people that will be judged in the Lake of
• 27:28
  Fire for all of eternity. Look at verse 8, but as for the
• 27:33
  Cowardly, the faithless, the detestable as for murderers, the
• 27:37
  sexually immoral Sorcerers idolaters and all liars.
• 27:40
  Their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and
• 27:43
  sulfur, which is the second death.
• 27:47
  People often say that the Old Testament, God is in a bad mood
• 27:53
  and the New Testament, God is in a much better mood.
• 27:56
  You know what that proves to me? Number one, they haven't read
• 27:58
  the Old Testament, right? And number two, they haven't
• 27:59
  finished the New Testament. Because you didn't get to the
• 28:03
  Book of Revelation, did you? Notice the first group that are
• 28:08
  mentioned that will be judged as for the who cowardly.
• 28:15
  To be coward is to be the opposite of being courageous.
• 28:18
  To be coward is to not move forward in your conviction
• 28:22
  because of the threat of persecution to be coward.
• 28:25
  This is important is not the same as having a personality
• 28:29
  that leans towards timidity and shyness.
• 28:31
  No, to be a coward means that you back away from standing with
• 28:37
  Christ. Because you care about your
• 28:40
  well-being, more than that conviction, that's what it means
• 28:43
  to be a coward. And in God's mind, The first,
• 28:48
  that will be judged by those who refuse to stand for the gospel.
• 28:52
  Those who refuse to stand for Christ because of threats.
• 28:58
  Or, because of because of hypocrisy, or because of,
• 29:03
  because of anything, that would cause him to say, I can't do
• 29:06
  this anymore and the Lord says, you're the first to go into
• 29:09
  hell. You know it's amazing here in
• 29:12
  the ESV the Cowardly right after his partner with the faithless.
• 29:19
  Other translations would say, the unbelieving, but the Greek
• 29:22
  actress has to be unfaithful. Yes, you can be unfaithful by
• 29:25
  unbelieving but here, it's amazing.
• 29:27
  Your this is not an accident you and I cannot no endurance and
• 29:32
  less. We first no courage.
• 29:36
  Faithlessness is inevitable. When courage is lacking.
• 29:41
  And that's the point here that these men were willing to not
• 29:46
  obey God because of fear fear of Saul fear, the Philistines even
• 29:50
  though God was on their side and though they were tempted and
• 29:54
  though you and I might be tempted to be fearful to obey
• 29:57
  God or to shrink back when there's a price to obey Christ.
• 30:02
  What conviction does is it convinces you to move forward?
• 30:06
  No matter what your emotions tell you?
• 30:09
  That's what courage is. It's not the absence of fear.
• 30:11
  Here. It's not the absence of
• 30:14
  intimidation and feeling the heat of the price that you might
• 30:17
  pay. But conviction is so powerful.
• 30:20
  It propels you to move forward. Anyway.
• 30:25
  And David had that courage. He was ready to plow through
• 30:30
  with his life. Even about while being tempted
• 30:33
  by his own men and threatened. And that can only come when you
• 30:37
  haven't Spirit inspired boldness and bravery.
• 30:41
  I pray that we would have it in these last days and that's why I
• 30:44
  let me tell you this persecution purifies the church every single
• 30:48
  time because you know what persecution does it highlights
• 30:52
  the courageous and assists out the Cowardly.
• 30:58
  Because once there's a price to pay for this thing, the only
• 31:01
  thing that's going to really happen is remove those who are
• 31:04
  in it for the wrong reason and strengthen those who had a
• 31:08
  conviction for Christ. And that's important.
• 31:15
  But we see here in verse 4, what David does and response.
• 31:20
  David as a leader. You can imagine he receives.
• 31:24
  Clarity. From God, he comes into this
• 31:27
  place with all these men. And he says, men, the Lord has
• 31:31
  spoken, we must go tequila and attack the Philistines.
• 31:36
  We must defend our Brethren, and all you hear is just a wave of
• 31:40
  murmuring. And are you serious?
• 31:42
  I no way. No way and some finally,
• 31:44
  somebody speaks us. We're already terrified as it
• 31:46
  is. You're going to bring us into
• 31:49
  more trouble, David and these are good hearted men.
• 31:52
  They risk their lives by separating from Saul to join
• 31:55
  David, but even good men can be fragile, even good.
• 31:59
  Men can be shaken. So what does this man do?
• 32:03
  What is this leader do hears this.
• 32:07
  He doesn't argue with them, he doesn't fight them.
• 32:10
  He doesn't even try to persuade them.
• 32:14
  Then David inquired of the Lord again.
• 32:18
  He goes to see God again. And as he's wrestling with these
• 32:22
  thoughts, and maybe as his emotions were Disturbed, maybe a
• 32:25
  bit. We're not told he goes before
• 32:28
  God again and he prays and God gives him Clarity once again and
• 32:34
  we're going to find out why it is that God is speaking.
• 32:35
  So promptly. And so obviously it's a unique
• 32:38
  thing to the scene. But nonetheless, the principle
• 32:41
  lies true. That in order for us to remain
• 32:44
  courageous, we must find strength in the place of prayer
• 32:48
  prayers, the great provider of Visions of Grace prayer
• 32:53
  provides. Great power to remain faithful
• 32:55
  to God. Even when we're being tempted to
• 32:58
  shrink back, And that's what this man does.
• 33:01
  He comes before the Lord, he seeks him.
• 33:03
  And as his faith is being challenged for standing for what
• 33:07
  is right? He lays out at the feet of the
• 33:10
  Lord and he he knows that God knows what just happened.
• 33:17
  And God is always prepared to strengthen the soul that is
• 33:20
  willing to seek that strength to be faithful to the cause of
• 33:23
  Christ always That's what David needed, David needed
• 33:27
  confirmation. And that confirmation will
• 33:29
  provide strength. And God is always ready to give
• 33:33
  his people, the boldness necessary to move forward and
• 33:36
  sometimes it's so Supernatural that you will step outside of
• 33:39
  yourself and say who is that man?
• 33:42
  Who is this? And listen to this prayer is
• 33:46
  even so effective that God is even willing to bring Liberty to
• 33:51
  those Source who are captive to their own fears, like these
• 33:54
  other men because, you know what, he's going to do, right?
• 33:56
  God is going to answer, and when God answers, it doesn't even
• 33:59
  just provide strength with David.
• 34:00
  Now, the rest of the men are like word in we're in Listen,
• 34:06
  there's a time to spend energy trying to persuade men but never
• 34:11
  fail, to reserve energy to come before God with unpersuaded men
• 34:16
  and let him deal with them. There's a time to argue
• 34:22
  righteously there's a time to try to convince and there's the
• 34:26
  time to try to persuade, but listen when all is said and
• 34:30
  done, you come before, God, and you bring those people before,
• 34:33
  God, the situation before God, and let God, because prayer is
• 34:37
  the invitation for God's intervention on the situation.
• 34:42
  God confirms in such wisdom and precision that he inspires faith
• 34:47
  in all of them. Why?
• 34:48
  Because look, how God answers. And the Lord answered them.
• 34:51
  Arise go down to klf4. I will give the Philistines into
• 34:54
  your hand. What's the difference between
• 34:56
  this answer in the previous one? Compare it and you'll see the
• 35:01
  difference. Anybody notice the difference he
• 35:11
  gave them the assurance that the Philistines will be will be
• 35:13
  dealt with before he just said go and attack.
• 35:16
  Now he says they will be conquered and it was that
• 35:20
  promise that blue fresh wind into their sales and even the
• 35:24
  other men that join David said, let's do this prayer is
• 35:28
  powerful. And so what happens when we read
• 35:31
  in verse 5 and David and his men went to Kayla and fought with
• 35:34
  the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them
• 35:37
  with a great blow. So David said, the inhabitants
• 35:40
  of keala small point to make from this verse, Notice that
• 35:45
  when they fought the Philistines, they brought away
• 35:48
  what their livestock, they're animals.
• 35:53
  This would have been tremendously helpful to David in
• 35:57
  the men. Remember when David initially
• 35:59
  fled from Saul the guy only had the clothes on his back.
• 36:03
  He didn't even have a lunch to carry with him.
• 36:06
  He didn't have a weapon though. He had an Armory at his
• 36:08
  disposal. He had to come before the priest
• 36:10
  and said you have a sword here because I'm Glide sword.
• 36:14
  Do you have any bread here? Gives him the holy bread of the
• 36:16
  presence. And so this man doesn't have
• 36:20
  resources. But now through this Conquest,
• 36:24
  they have a whole herd They gained all this livestock.
• 36:30
  That wasn't promised to them but oh how encouraging is to see
• 36:35
  that when we obey God, he often surprises us.
• 36:41
  That went in your heart. Obedience to God.
• 36:44
  Is your Supreme desire. God is faithful to supply your
• 36:49
  needs. When you're more concerned about
• 36:56
  God, and his people, God, and His purposes, God and his
• 37:00
  commands for your life. Watch how God will surprise his
• 37:04
  Faithful Servants with his Provisions.
• 37:07
  I've personally seen in my own life.
• 37:10
  How God has provided in ways that it didn't make sense?
• 37:15
  You've noticed that you're sitting in a place that
• 37:17
  testifies to that. And it's amazing.
• 37:22
  It's amazing. How God truly meets the needs of
• 37:25
  his people. When they truly set their hearts
• 37:29
  to live for him Above All Else. And for those who don't seek
• 37:36
  first, the kingdom of God, they seek the kingdom, but it's like
• 37:38
  fourth on the list. I feel bad for them, you're
• 37:39
  missing out on a journey, man. Do you want to know how you can
• 37:45
  get rid of anxiety in your life for your needs?
• 37:49
  Some would say, pray more. Sure, some would say.
• 37:53
  Read more. Sure, here's another word of
• 37:56
  advice seek first. The kingdom.
• 37:59
  You want to deal with anxiety, you want to do?
• 38:01
  Are you person that's worried about your clothes and your food
• 38:04
  where you're going to live? What kind of car you going to?
• 38:06
  Are you worried about that instead of worrying about that,
• 38:10
  busy yourself with the kingdom of God and watch how things will
• 38:13
  fall into place. When God sees you, taking care
• 38:16
  of his business, you'll take care of yours.
• 38:20
  David here was concerned about the citizens of keala and as he
• 38:23
  fulfills the command of God, God says here's a bunch of animals.
• 38:28
  You have lunch for the next few weeks.
• 38:33
  And verse 6, we read here that when IB author are the son of a
• 38:36
  he Malik had fled to David tequila.
• 38:39
  He had come down with an ephod in his hand.
• 38:43
  We'll come back to that later. But look at verse 7, Now it was
• 38:46
  told Saul that David a come tequila and Saul said, God has
• 38:52
  given him into my hand for he has shut himself in by entering
• 38:57
  a town that has Gates and bars. I remember when I first wrote
• 39:02
  this, how confused I was about this man saw, I literally have a
• 39:07
  question mark behind that verse As a testament to this guy is
• 39:14
  losing it. God has given David into my
• 39:20
  hands. Really.
• 39:28
  The inhabitants of Kayla were rejoicing, I'm sure but Saul he
• 39:32
  receives news from his his spies that David is there.
• 39:38
  And they left out of the report that David had conquered the
• 39:41
  Philistines. Notice that's not mentioned,
• 39:43
  they're all that was a concern to despise.
• 39:45
  Was we know where David is. Never mind that he brought
• 39:48
  victory for the nation of Israel.
• 39:49
  Saul could care less. He's not a Kingdom Minded
• 39:51
  person. He doesn't, he doesn't care
• 39:54
  about these spiritual things. He doesn't care about God's
• 39:57
  glory. He's so filled with self that
• 39:59
  these people don't even communicate these things to him.
• 40:03
  And so the news is brought to him.
• 40:05
  We know where David has now he's there.
• 40:07
  He's in Judah, he's so close. And you can just imagine this
• 40:12
  perverted grin and sauce face, guys.
• 40:15
  Given him into my hands. And it makes you think for some
• 40:21
  strange reason, this King really believes that in his pursuit of
• 40:27
  killing David that God was supporting it.
• 40:33
  Not only was God supporting it, but that God provided an
• 40:37
  opportunity at the Lord. Orchestrated and open door for
• 40:41
  David to be assassinated at the hands of Saul.
• 40:44
  This man? Just killed. 80 something
• 40:45
  priest. He's causing havoc and God's
• 40:49
  kingdom. He's disobeyed so many times
• 40:51
  that God allows a tormenting Spirit to come upon him and this
• 40:54
  man still actually believes that God is on his side.
• 41:03
  I thought to myself, in reading this tonight if you've ever had
• 41:08
  trouble, understanding, Jeremiah statement that the heart is
• 41:11
  deceitful above all things and that is desperately sick.
• 41:14
  Just meditate on this verse long enough, you'll know what he
• 41:16
  means. Many times in the New Testament,
• 41:20
  the Christian not the non-believer.
• 41:22
  The Christian is warned to not be deceived.
• 41:27
  Look it up for yourself. Make it a personal study look
• 41:30
  throughout the entire New Testament, and search for the
• 41:32
  phrase, do not be deceived or let, no one deceive you.
• 41:39
  And just see how many times it appears the Christian not the
• 41:43
  non-believer. And second Thessalonians.
• 41:46
  Her example in Chapter 2, Verse 3, we are told let no one
• 41:49
  deceive you in any way. But when you and I hear about
• 41:53
  the dangers of deception and let me give you a simple.
• 41:56
  Definition being misled to believe something to be true
• 42:00
  when it is in fact false. When we hear about deception
• 42:05
  immediately, our minds go to external threats threats and
• 42:10
  wolves, and sheep clothing, that tried to lure us away from truth
• 42:13
  and that just doctrinal truth. Truth about matters in life as
• 42:17
  well, connected to truth. When in fact, the Bible even
• 42:22
  goes beyond those warnings and warns us about another form of
• 42:26
  deception that many people do not think about when they think
• 42:29
  about the danger of this thing. Can I show it to you?
• 42:32
  It's in 1st Corinthians 3. In verse 18.
• 42:42
  Our Corinthians Christians. Yes, there is Paul inspired by
• 42:47
  the spirit as an author of divine revelation.
• 42:51
  Yes, he is. So we read here in verse 18,
• 42:54
  just the first few words, you ready?
• 42:57
  Let no one what deceive who himself.
• 43:05
  Let no one deceive. You do not be deceived, let no
• 43:08
  one deceive you in any way, let no one deceive you, let no one
• 43:10
  deceive. You do not be deceived First
• 43:12
  Corinthian. 38, let no one deceive himself.
• 43:16
  So deception is not just a threat externally.
• 43:19
  I myself can mislead myself. I myself, am able to be
• 43:24
  persuaded by my own Thoughts by my own emotions to believe
• 43:28
  something to be true. When in fact, it is false.
• 43:33
  Saul was deceiving himself. And he was so misled.
• 43:42
  That he was. He was interpreting what God was
• 43:47
  doing in David's life. As actually something that he
• 43:51
  was going to do for his life. And when I look at this verse,
• 43:58
  it has become a memorial because I read it many years ago, and it
• 44:00
  has brought an answer to me and many occurrences in my own life
• 44:04
  that I just did not understand. And here it was.
• 44:08
  I've unfortunately, had many instances where I've talked to
• 44:11
  people Who really believe God? Was validating or affirming
• 44:20
  something that was clearly wrong.
• 44:22
  And again, scripture, I've talked to people who have
• 44:26
  behaved, so worldly and even sinfully and they were so
• 44:30
  convinced that God was still going to bless their Ministries.
• 44:34
  Even though they were violating God's standard for what it means
• 44:37
  to be a minister and what it means to do faithful Ministry
• 44:40
  and yet, still, they believe likes all that.
• 44:44
  God has for me, nonetheless, I've even had unfortunate
• 44:48
  conversations with people. Try to convince me that because
• 44:51
  God has revealed something to them.
• 44:53
  Personally, subjectively that it is true.
• 44:56
  Even though it violates the word of God and it goes against how
• 45:00
  the word of God tells you to communicate your convictions.
• 45:03
  And when bringing the word of God to the situation, and the
• 45:06
  person in their hearts, what they've experienced personally,
• 45:10
  trumped over the word of God. I'm thinking to myself, how how
• 45:18
  is it that people are soaked. It's so clearly wrong.
• 45:21
  It's so off. It's so hideous.
• 45:23
  It's so horrific. It's so carnal.
• 45:26
  And yet, still they have this confidence that God affirms and
• 45:31
  God will supply and bless Or God has spoken to you and has given
• 45:36
  you some kind of access to Authority and divine revelation
• 45:39
  beyond the scriptures, how? And in my mind races back to
• 45:42
  this verse about stall, Would you like to know how it is?
• 45:48
  That saw has arrived to this point?
• 45:50
  Let me put it this way. Would you like to know how
• 45:52
  somebody can deceive themselves? Because there's a way to get
• 45:55
  there. It doesn't just happen.
• 45:56
  Spontaneously, it's not just something that just erupts in
• 45:59
  their hearts. It's not snow.
• 46:00
  No, it is inspired by something first.
• 46:03
  The deception is a consequence to another sin.
• 46:08
  The deception is the punishment. Of another sin. and the same
• 46:16
  Prophet who said that the heart is deceitful above all things
• 46:18
  and desperately sick, who can know, it is the same Prophet
• 46:21
  that revealed how it is that a person can deceive themselves,
• 46:26
  you still in Jeremiah Go to Jeremiah what?
• 46:31
  That common and famous Passage. where it's found is in chapter
• 46:38
  17, but where we want to go as in chapter 49, Jeremiah,
• 46:43
  Jeremiah Jeremiah Jeremiah 49? This is in a prophecy that
• 46:52
  condemns the people of Edom. and in this judgement against
• 47:05
  Edom, we read in verse 16, slowly The prophet says the
• 47:11
  whore, you inspire has deceived you.
• 47:14
  Now, look at this and the what the pride of your heart. oh but
• 47:23
  I would confirm in that book that is purely condemnation
• 47:27
  against the people of Edom and Obadiah chapter will there's no
• 47:30
  chapter verse 3, chapter 1 He says that the pride of your
• 47:35
  heart has deceived you. So he's making it even more.
• 47:39
  Clear, so how is it that somebody can deceive themselves?
• 47:46
  It's when they're infected with pride.
• 47:51
  When Pride lives in a heart. That Pride will lie to you.
• 47:59
  That Pride will lie to you about you.
• 48:03
  That Pride will lie to you about others often in the form of
• 48:07
  content. And listen to this, that Pride
• 48:12
  will even cause you to misinterpret the character of
• 48:15
  God. and the way he deals with your life, When Pride lives in a
• 48:23
  heart, when you let Pride be a roommate.
• 48:29
  In the home of your heart. That Pride will sit with you at
• 48:33
  the dinner table and tell you things.
• 48:34
  So convincing that you even begin to ask you how God, and
• 48:40
  who God really is. Because if pride of pride is
• 48:44
  anything, it is, you being the center of the universe, and
• 48:46
  pride is so evil. It is so damning that it even
• 48:51
  makes you. So Central in this whole world
• 48:53
  that even God is under you. Thank God wouldn't do anything
• 48:59
  against you? So whatever you do, God must
• 49:03
  support in a firm and validate and provide for.
• 49:07
  And so, let me ask you this question, it's all a prideful
• 49:10
  person or is he a humble person? All you have to do is just
• 49:13
  reflect on all the times that he's try to fish for the praise
• 49:16
  of, man, to realize that he is so consumed with self and that
• 49:20
  self that Pride got so inflated. That it bread deception, and
• 49:24
  that deception was so loud that it caused him to even believe
• 49:28
  God wants me to murder. The one that he is Anointed to
• 49:31
  be the King of Israel. It's Pride.
• 49:37
  It's Pride that commits us some and they're convinced.
• 49:39
  They're really. You think saw was just blowing
• 49:40
  smoke here. He's totally convinced.
• 49:46
  And he's reached a level of Pride that is destructive in so
• 49:50
  many ways. Now he's bringing God's name
• 49:53
  into it. Oh, I'm telling you if you want
• 49:59
  to be protected from self-deception can I tell you
• 50:02
  how love the truth? Listen, you want to be
• 50:07
  protected? Never, I'm not talking about
• 50:08
  this evening, other people or other people being deceptive
• 50:12
  towards you. I'm talking about you and me
• 50:14
  deceiving ourselves. You want to be protected from
• 50:16
  that. Love the truth.
• 50:21
  Second Thessalonians tells us in Chapter 2, that God allows a
• 50:25
  strong delusion to come upon people in the last days because
• 50:29
  they refused to love the truth. So if this is your supreme
• 50:36
  authority, if you want to be in the light, if you want to be
• 50:40
  unrighteousness side, no matter what it costs you, no matter
• 50:44
  what it costs, you even if it costs you your own life.
• 50:48
  You'll be protected from deception.
• 50:53
  God will not allow a person to cries out to be in light, to who
• 50:56
  cries out to be in truth to be darkened by deception even if
• 50:59
  it's your own, that's his promise.
• 51:03
  Saul nothing to do with God, not a worshiper.
• 51:07
  Filled with pride and because of Pride deception lied to him even
• 51:12
  about God. So we come back and we read here
• 51:16
  that this man is convinced, That the Lord is going to bless his
• 51:21
  efforts to come to Kayla and kill David.
• 51:25
  And so as we read earlier he he brings all these armies of
• 51:30
  Israel. Where were you and Kayla needed
• 51:32
  help. And he's ready to now come and
• 51:37
  Siege this city again and who hears about it verse 9?
• 51:41
  David knew that saw was plotting harm against him and he said to
• 51:45
  Abby, after the priest, bring the ephod here.
• 51:50
  Now. Up to this point, we've seen
• 51:54
  David cry out to God and to occasions, he's about to do it
• 51:56
  again. And the question is, how is he
• 51:59
  getting such clear answers from the Lord so quickly.
• 52:02
  So clearly so evidently we would think that David just wanted to
• 52:05
  some corner somewhere and he prayed and God just brought some
• 52:08
  some Revelation Vision or Audible Voice.
• 52:10
  That was not the case. We learn from verse 6 and verse
• 52:12
  9, that when I Bea Arthur one of the priests in who lived in knob
• 52:16
  escaped, the wrath of Saul he comes to David and he has
• 52:21
  something in his It's called the ephod.
• 52:23
  Can anybody tell us what the ephod is?
• 52:30
  Okay good. So included.
• 52:32
  The aluminum and the thummim the your mother throne.
• 52:34
  But it's a garment. It's a vestment.
• 52:37
  We actually went through that in Exodus when we studied it.
• 52:40
  A few years ago, it's a garment worn by the high priest that was
• 52:43
  connected to other pieces, it was connected to a breast piece
• 52:48
  and on this breast piece, there were these different stones that
• 52:51
  represented the nation of Israel but there are two unique gems.
• 52:56
  They were placed there and these gems, according to the
• 53:00
  narratives of the Bible were, were sometimes used to
• 53:05
  understand God's Will and direction for certain
• 53:08
  circumstances. Now amazingly enough, the Bible
• 53:11
  is quiet about how these two gems, the rumen, the through
• 53:16
  them are used. We're not told how they're
• 53:17
  using. I think that's by Divine Design.
• 53:19
  God wanted to be silent about it.
• 53:22
  But all we know is that when you look especially in first Samuel
• 53:25
  how its use, it's through those stones that God gives yes, and
• 53:28
  no directives. And that's how we see God's
• 53:30
  answers. God, do I go here?
• 53:32
  Yes, you can go there. God, do I do this?
• 53:34
  No, no don't do this. It's very, very stiff and direct
• 53:37
  it's not elaborate and somehow these Stones through the means
• 53:42
  of the vessel of the high priest brought about some kind of
• 53:46
  direct Revelation from God for a particular problem. so when
• 53:52
  David calls for the ephod, which contained these gems, which held
• 53:56
  these gems, what he was really doing was calling upon God What
• 54:01
  you and I see in verse 9 is a man who has made great leaps of
• 54:05
  maturity and his faith with God. Because this is not the same
• 54:10
  reaction David had when we first saw him in Exile.
• 54:15
  A friend who watches this. Who's not even living in this
• 54:18
  state message me. It's always encouraging.
• 54:20
  When somebody has, they make connections with certain things.
• 54:24
  In the Bible said, he messaged me.
• 54:25
  He goes, I noticed something from first Samuel 21, when David
• 54:29
  asked for Goliath's sword, and I want you to see it because it
• 54:32
  blessed me, when he brought it up, go back to chapter 21.
• 54:37
  Remember David, fleas saw he's in panic.
• 54:40
  He wants a weapon to defend himself. and look at verse 9,
• 54:44
  when he asks, For a weapon. And the priest said the sword of
• 54:50
  Goliath, the Philistine whom you struck down in the valley of
• 54:54
  elah behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind what the ephod
• 55:02
  if you would take that, take it for there is none.
• 55:04
  But that here and David said there is none like that give it
• 55:07
  to me. And when my friend brought up
• 55:09
  the point was this is that in this moment where David was
• 55:13
  obviously fearful, he didn't know where to go next.
• 55:16
  Even the placement of the sword invited him to inquire of God,
• 55:20
  but he ignored the ephod and he put his trust in the sword of
• 55:24
  Goliath instead, and that is a wonderful point if that ephod
• 55:29
  represents the ability to call upon God and receive Direction,
• 55:34
  David, totally dismissed the ephod.
• 55:37
  And he wanted to put his trust in Arm of the flesh.
• 55:41
  And that's often we do, can I be honest?
• 55:44
  There are many Christians. They know we need to pray but
• 55:46
  they don't really believe it works. if anything prayer to
• 55:52
  them is like a Divine Lottery, like you punching your ticket
• 55:55
  and you hope that the numbers just fall through But it's not a
• 55:59
  dependency, it's not a lifestyle, it's not something
• 56:01
  you do without ceasing is just something that you might do when
• 56:05
  there's like it's when all your options run out and there's no
• 56:08
  physical way to accomplish something, then you go to
• 56:11
  prayer. But look at the maturity of
• 56:15
  David's faith. When it came to him being in
• 56:17
  danger with Saul. Again, when saw was threatening
• 56:19
  to pursue me again, what does he do?
• 56:22
  He goes to the priest once again, but he doesn't ask for
• 56:24
  another weapon. He asked for the ephod, give me
• 56:27
  the ephod. I tried doing it with David with
• 56:31
  glide sword. It didn't take me very far.
• 56:33
  Let me seek God. Let me inquire of him.
• 56:40
  Let me implore, let me beg. If I need you, let me ask him
• 56:43
  for this direction. And he comes with the ephod and
• 56:48
  sure enough. It happens.
• 56:51
  God answers. Again, let me say this David and
• 56:55
  chapter 21 is an illustration of how Believers use different
• 57:01
  things, other than the spiritual weapons that God has given us to
• 57:03
  overcome situations. But Dave and chapter 23 is a man
• 57:08
  who is convinced that when you invite God in the matter, God
• 57:12
  will provide a wisdom and a strength and the power that no
• 57:14
  sword. No weapon.
• 57:15
  No friends, no resources. No president or prime minister
• 57:17
  no Army no tank can even come close to I need God.
• 57:24
  And you'd be amazed to know how God even in that moment.
• 57:27
  I do not dismiss the supernatural.
• 57:30
  I believe the same God who wrote This Book is the same God who
• 57:32
  can intervene in life right now. He seeks.
• 57:38
  God, God answers. And one of the ways that you can
• 57:41
  know that you're maturing in your faith is to analyze your
• 57:45
  response. Two difficulties.
• 57:50
  Where do you go to? Does worship cease or does it
• 57:54
  increase? Is prayer.
• 57:58
  Abandon or is it heightened? There's a flesh flare-up or does
• 58:04
  faith arise? And if you can't answer those
• 58:08
  things honestly, if you're a person that's the finds himself
• 58:12
  reacting. Like how David in chapter 21
• 58:14
  look outpatient? God is he's willing to teach us
• 58:18
  and show us how to fight these battles in the spirit.
• 58:23
  And how to I love that song, where it tells us the man who
• 58:26
  fears the Lord, he is not moving and he's not fearful when he
• 58:31
  receives bad news, he just okay, God is sovereign.
• 58:37
  I think it's worth as we close here to see how David prayed,
• 58:40
  shall we? See it.
• 58:41
  Look at how we praise. You want to know how to pray
• 58:43
  people? Say, how do I pray, brother,
• 58:45
  read prayers in the Bible? And adopt a language.
• 58:50
  Then David said, O, Lord, the god of Israel.
• 58:52
  Your servant look at the humility.
• 58:54
  Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to kiala
• 58:58
  to destroy the city on my account.
• 59:00
  Look, he's concerned about the city.
• 59:03
  They want to do, they want to destroy the city of my account.
• 59:07
  Will the men of kiala surrender me into his hand?
• 59:10
  That's wisdom. Will Saul come down?
• 59:15
  As your servant has heard, oh Lord!
• 59:18
  The god of Israel. Please tell your servant does
• 59:20
  that sound like desperation. It is.
• 59:25
  And the Lord said he will come down.
• 59:29
  The Davidson, will the men of killers surrender.
• 59:32
  Me and my men into the hand of Saul and the Lord said they will
• 59:35
  surrender you. Not shattering.
• 59:41
  It's like you just save these people and they're willing to
• 59:43
  give you up in a moment when their safety.
• 59:48
  Is in danger, and after you've served them, they're willing to
• 59:53
  go. And here's the point.
• 59:54
  I want to make in conclusion, you heard earlier that when
• 59:56
  David came to the help of keala and the citizens, they receive
• 59:59
  great blessing, blessing beyond what they have planned.
• 1:00:02
  This livestock came to their aid.
• 1:00:03
  This was a supply from God as a result of obedience.
• 1:00:07
  When you obey, God, he will find ways to not just bless you but
• 1:00:12
  surprise you with his blessings. but when you obey, God, You will
• 1:00:18
  suffer. You will suffer.
• 1:00:23
  You think this felt good? For David, we just risked our
• 1:00:28
  lives for you. And now when it comes to you
• 1:00:32
  defending us you're willing to sell us when it comes to us
• 1:00:37
  defending, you were willing to stand by you when it comes to
• 1:00:39
  you defending us you're willing to give us to the wolves.
• 1:00:45
  We like the blessing part. We don't like the suffering
• 1:00:47
  part, you're going to have both. You're going to get both and in
• 1:00:51
  some Seasons, the blessings will be more evident and in other
• 1:00:53
  seasons of suffering, will be much louder and much more
• 1:00:55
  intense and severe. But here's the point, God is
• 1:00:59
  worthy. He is worthy because look at the
• 1:01:02
  end here, I want you to see the last part of verse 14 and Saul
• 1:01:06
  Sodom every day. But God did not give him into
• 1:01:10
  his hand. Even though keolis rendered him.
• 1:01:15
  Dave was not at the mercy of these citizens, he was at the
• 1:01:18
  mercy of God. And so what a strange picture
• 1:01:24
  you have Saul, who thinks that God is on his side.
• 1:01:26
  And in reality, the holy spirit says, God is holding on to
• 1:01:30
  David. And God will hold on to you and
• 1:01:34
  me. In the blessings and in the
• 1:01:37
  disappointments in the friendships like Jonathan and in
• 1:01:41
  the Betrayal like in this case. But here's the thing.
• 1:01:44
  There is no other way to live than to live for him.
• 1:01:48
  No other way. And we're going to see that with
• 1:01:52
  David in the weeks ahead. Let's pray.
• 1:02:14
  We thank you for the wisdom of this chapter.
• 1:02:19
  And Lord tonight we have been reminded of the necessity to
• 1:02:23
  place obedience to you. Your will conquering.
• 1:02:28
  Any other thing that we have in our hearts As the primary
• 1:02:37
  delight and duty of Our Lives. Thank you for the reminder that
• 1:02:45
  when we obey, you never fail to supply, you never fail to
• 1:02:50
  comfort. You never fail to encourage, you
• 1:02:52
  never fail to even surprised us below.
• 1:02:55
  Thank you for the honest, reminder that there is suffering
• 1:03:00
  on the path of obedience. That there is pain that there is
• 1:03:04
  hurt that there is confusion sometimes.
• 1:03:08
  That there are cuts from those, even from within, even though
• 1:03:12
  the people that we serve, and we made great sacrifices for turn
• 1:03:16
  on us, Lord, help us to, never forget that you hold us.
• 1:03:21
  And as long as we do, what you call us to do.
• 1:03:25
  No matter who's in or out you are the most important thing to
• 1:03:29
  us. And Lori rather have the
• 1:03:34
  citizens of kiella turn on us. Instead of being like Saul who
• 1:03:39
  had the spirit of God removed from him, We want your presence
• 1:03:44
  and your pleasure above all else, even our own Comfort Lord.
• 1:03:48
  If that's not true, and even one person's life today, maybe the
• 1:03:51
  kingdom is not first And they wonder why they're anxious, and
• 1:03:57
  they're wondering why they're fearful and the wonder how their
• 1:03:59
  life is going to play out. Lord, may we be reminded from
• 1:04:02
  this moment on that when anxiety Creeps in Prayer is important.
• 1:04:08
  Lord, we know it. And so is reading your word and
• 1:04:10
  being reminded of your promises but Lord, may we also evaluate
• 1:04:13
  our priorities and to see if your kingdom is first because
• 1:04:18
  you promised to take care of everything else.
• 1:04:23
  Thank you for watching us with your word tonight.
• 1:04:27
  We worship you in light of it. In Jesus name, we pray.
• 1:04:30
  Amen.